Apparatus for controlling vibratory members



R. E. HALL March 10, 1953 .APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING VIBRATORY MEMBERS Filed sept. 2, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET l 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 March 10, 1953 R. E. HALL APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING VIBRATORY MEMBERS Filed sept. 2, 1949 Patented Mar. 1 0, 195:3

A4I INII.' ED ...STATES .OF F I CE 2,630,873 ilspfnggffus Foj pourrions-'ING 'c VIBRATORYl MEMBERS 4-fltay IJHalI,,ll/[irnneapolis,` Minn.assignoritoNova Development Inc., Minneapolis, VMinn., a corpopplcatonispteinber 2, 1949;; Serial No. 1132,881

,y u i'folaim.

The invention herein' presents a system of f In `the'illustrated anduesc'ribed embodiment of the invention, the vibratory member is yso-called tuned'reed, and sound pulses' are Vtransl-ated into l mechanical pulses =throughtheinstrumentality of a sensitive uid jet with-appurtenancesincluding a reciprocatoryldiaphragm. Y

i 'In `the accompanying drawings forming -a 'Apart of Vthis specification,

A--Fig. 1 isa diagrammatic viewofanapparatus made according -to` the invention;

i Fig.` 2 is a plan-view-of ithedisclosureofelig.

- 1; airectier of thefapparatus being omitted;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevai tional view detailing -features .of the apparatus of Figs. 1-and 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view, partially -in section andpartially broken away, illustrating a manner in which a sensitive fluid jetis disrupted by sound waves; and

Fig. 5- is an enlarged central sectional view of u a pump for providinga sensitive fluid jet em- I- ployed in the apparatus.

A description ofthe -new andimproved apparai `=tus will suftceto make plainthe-'steps` of the Vlvnovel Vand improved method.

Y An `expansion tank I Il isr'adaptedto receive fluid, desirably air, under pressure from aninlet pipe II to the lexpansion tank, and an outlet Fpipe I2 from said expansion tank leads to a first nozzle I3.

A pump I4, of construction as hereinafter to be set forth, is utilized to continuously deliver fluid or air to the expansion tank I Il-in volume to cause substantially constant I pressure above atmosphericl pressure, `to be i maintained therein, and the construction and :arrangement will be such that a stream of fluid or 4air under pressureproviding a sensitive fluid i or air jet,i-steadily will flow from the first nozzle I3. l Y n Said rst nozzle I3 is lsituated in a box `I5 in "l facing relation to a perforation through a partition or sound baille IE, as well-as in facing rela-` tion to a centrally disposed or-ice I1 through a wall' IIll of the box between the nozzle I3 and a "reciprocatory diaphragm I9 supported upon said box. phragm I9 `are disposed transverselyof the fluid The wall I8 andthe reciprocatoryv diaorlainjet-'with ther or ice I'I` in .alinement with saidfluidor airjeti-and, together, said Walland reciprocatory diaphragm bound or denne a chamberrZtII which isl closed save for said orifice I'I,

AV second nozzler 2IV is.` situated in. thebox I5,

i in* perpendicular relationto the rst nozzle I3, tombe-capable ofA delivering sound waves to and -against the sensitive uid or.` air jet at or, adja- Lcent `to the outlet fromsaid first nozzleIS, and

Vv'a funnel-22, for vconveying .sound waves to the secondinozzle isi-disposed` exteriorly of` saidbox Speaking generally,the parts as Athus fandescribed are old in the prior art.. Duringoperation Yofi-the apparatuslof `the invention, the sensitive uidor air jet passes .through the orifice VII and continuouslyfmaintains .the reciprocatory Ydia- Aphragm ISatitsfarthest distancefrom the wall `I8 at all times whenno sound waves are impingving said sensitivefluid, or-air jet. When sound waves impinge .thesensitiverfluid or air jet this i is-disrupted .to lne-incapable of passing through A said orifice I'Ito entend sufcientlyto apprecia- --bly affect'said diaphragn-` The reciprocatory dia- .-YphragmgISl-is tensioned normally tol lie .closer -to the wall I8. when not distended than when distended-.and .upon cessation of passage of `.said sensitivenuid or air jet through the orice I1, said/reciprocatory diaphragm V'will move toward orto-its normal position.

In practical operation, several equallyl spaced y sound pulses will be delivered through the funnel l 22 toA4 the 'second nozzle 2i, and a group of said equally ,spaced sound pulses will be .translated into mechanical pulses, causing the diaphragm I9 to bereciprocated through the `instrumental- .ity of the sensitive" uid or air` jet.

` *The manner in which a sensitive uidior air l' jet is disrupted when impinged by sound waves is Vwellknown in the prior art and need not be f. eplicitly'set forth herein. Suince it tolsay that each of the several equally spaced sound pulses `which Vare to be deliver'edto `the sensitive fluid .or air jet tothe accomplishment of reciprocation lofthediaphragm I9 individually'will be the :manifestation lof uninterrupted sound waves.

The,-coristruction and arrangement will be such that' the sensitive duid or air jet will be'disrupted to some extent during the interval when impinged by each of the equally spaced sound .pulses topermit theA reciprocatory .diaphragm to have movement towardy or:to its normal position, andvunaffectedduring the intervalsrbetween l' 'thosewhen impingedfby the sound pulsesto .fcauser-.said"reciprocatoryV `:diaphragm to :become Yreciprocatory diaphragm J distended. The mechanical pulses, manifested by reciprocatory movement of the diaphragm I9, will be a function of the duration of each of the equally spaced sound pulses and the time which elapses between their occurrence. By variation of the duration of each of the several sound pulses and their spacing, successive mechanical pulses occurring at any rate which may be predetermined obviously can be obtained. Stated otherwise, mechanical pulses recurring at intervals adapted to cause a diaphragm, such as I9, to be reciprocated at any rate which may be selected are capable of procurement by alteration of the duration and spacing of the sound pulses.

A vibratory member of the apparatus is constituted as a tuned reed 23 with a mass 24 supported upon its free end portion for longitudinal adjustment.

An insulating block 25 rigidly supported, as at 26, upon the box I itself rigidly supports, as at 2, the outer end portion of a flexible elongated element 28 extending transversely of the sensitive fluid or air jet partially across the reciprocatory diaphragm I9 exteriorly thereof and in adjacent relation thereto. The inner end of said flexible elongated Yelement 28 is secured by a rivet 29 to the center of said reciprocatory diaphragm, said rivet also securing an insulating disc 33 to the diaphragm, against its outer surface and between the inner end portion of the 9 flexible elongated element and said diaphragm. A contactor rigid with the insulating disc 30 and spaced inwardly of the flexible elongated element is denoted 3|.

The outer end portion of the vibratory member or tuned reed 23 is rigidly supported,4 as at 32, upon an intermediate part of the flexible elongated element 28 adjacent its outer end portion, and said vibratory member or tuned reed extends transversely of said sensitive fluid or air jet partially across said reciprocatory diaphragm exteriorly of and in adjacent, parallel relation to said flexible elongated element. The vibratory member or tuned reed 23 and the flexible elongated element 28 are spaced to permit said member or reed to vibrate, and a contactor 33 upon the vibratory member or tuned reed is adapted normally to be in spaced relation to the contactor SI and to become engaged with and, disengaged from said contactor 3l in response to vibration of said member or reed 23.

Lead wires, represented 34 and 35, respectively, extending to the contactors 3I and 33 will be in a circuit (not Shown) for accomplishing a useful purpose, as, for example, to control a relay.A

The construction and arrangement will be such that mechanical pulses obtained in the manner as hereinbefore described, manifested byreciprocatory movements of the diaphragm I9, will be operative upon the vibratory member or tuned reed 23 to cause its sympathetic vibration, thus to cause the contactor 33 to become engaged with the contactor 3|. The vibratory member or reed can be tuned to the frequency of the mechanical pulses in any manner heretofore well known. In the disclosure as made adjustment to bring the member or reed and said mechanical pulses to the same frequency can be accomplished by sliding movement of the mass 24 longitudinally of said member or reed. Y Y Y In practical installations of the apparatus, the

I9 responds to mechanical pulses into which a group of sound pulses created by a whistle of a definite pitch are translated, and the vibratory member or reed l23 will be adjusted to have the natural frequency mechanical pulses causing the diaphragm to be reciprocated, and a secondary tuning insuring that the vibratory member or reed and the mechanical pulses into which the sound pulses are translated have the same frequency. 'Ihat is, in any installation of the apparatus its sensitive iiuid or air jet system can be tuned to render its diaphragm such as I9 incapable of being reciprocated except when sound pulses of a selected pitch, or of pitches within a selected range, are impinged upon said sensitive uid or air jet, and its member or reed, such as 23, can be tuned to be'incapable of vibrating except when the sound pulses of the group are interrupted for a selected time interval. '.n'short, the apparatus incorporates a secondary tuned systemV superimposed upon a primary tuned system capable of utilization to renderY the reciprocatory lmember or tuned reed, such as 23, of any installation incapable of being actuated in response to sound pulses, or groups thereof, other than groups of sound pulses of pitch and recurring frequency intended to be capable of actuating said reciprocatory member or tuned reed. By way of illustration, and assuming that the contactors 3I and 33 are in a circuit for controlling a motor for actuating a garage door, whichl could be a use for the apparatus, the construction and arrangement could be such that operation of the vibratory member or reed, such as 23, to cause said contactors to be engaged would be capable of accomplishment only in response to groups of toots on a whistle producing' sound pulses of a certain pitch interrupted for a certain time interval.

The pump I4 includes a first casing consisting of a hollow base 36 suitably and conveniently covered by a reciprocable diaphragm 3l to provide a chamber 38 between said reciprocable diaphragm and hollow base. An inlet for fluid, air as shown, through a part'of the reciprocable diaphragm S'I spaced from its center, to the chamber 38 is denoted 39, andan outlet lfrom said chamber 38, through a central portion of Vthe hollow base 33, is indicated 40. The outlet i0 leads to the interior of a second casing IH providing a passageway for uid to the inlet pipe I I, and a reed check valve 42 in said second casing is for controlling said outlet 4G.

A disc valve 13, in uncovering relation to the inlet 39 when the reciprocable diaphragm 31 is at its farthest distance from the hollow base 3B and adapted to cover said inlet upon initial movement of said reciprocable diaphragm toward said hollow base, has its central portion rigidly secured against an outer central surface of the reciprocable diaphragm and its Ymarginal portion arranged in overlying relation to the inlet.

A reciprocable armature Alli,r for accomplishing to and fro reciprocation of the diaphragm 31 and the disc valve 33, is operable in a manner to be set forth. A single rivet l5 secures both the disc Valve A3 and the reciprocab-le armature 4B to said diaphragm.

The chamber 38 will contain air under atmospheric pressure when the reciprocable diaphragm is at its farthest distance from the hollow base 36 and the disc valve 43 is in uncovering relation to the inlet 39, as inFig. 5 ofthe drawings. Said disc valve will be moved to covering relation to said inlet in response to initial movement of the reciprocable armature 44 toward said hollow base, and in response to movement of the disc Valve and said reciprocable armature toward the hollow base after the inlet is closed, air will be forced from the chamber 3S through the outlet 40 into the interior of the second casing 42 by reason of decrease in size of said chamber. Upon commencement of return movement of the reciprocable armature, together with the disc valve and reciprocable diaphragm as a unit, away from the hollow base of the pump, the reed check valve 42 will be closed by reason of increase in size of the chamber 38 creating pressure at the outlet 40 below atmospheric, andrupon approach of said disc valve and reciprocable diaphragm to their farthest distance from said hollow base the disc valve will be removed to uncovering position relation to the inlet 39, as in said Fig. 5. Air will be forced out of the chamber 36 and into the expansion tank IIJ in response to each movement of the reciprocable armature 44 toward the hollow base 36, and atmospheric air will enter said chamber 36 with completion of each movement of said reciprocable armature away from said hollow base.

The reciprocable armature 44 is resiliently mounted, as at 46, upon a solenoid 41 adjacent a core 48 thereof in such manner as to be normally situated to retain the reciprocable diaphragm 31 at its farthest distance from the hollow base 3E, as in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

Incoming wires 49 and 50 are from a source of supply (not shown) of alternating current electrical energy. The incoming Wire 49 extends to a rectifier 5l, a lead Wire 52 extends from said rectifier to the solenoid 41, and the incoming Wire 50 is connected to said solenoid.

The rectifier 5| is for translating the alternating current into pulses of direct current having the frequency of said alternating current in a circuit wherein intermittent working pulses are allowed to pass. Each intermittent working pulse will cause the solenoid 41 to be energized, and interruptions between the intermittent working pulses will cause the solenoid circuit to be broken. The reciprocable armature 44 will be attracted by the core 48 each time the solenoid is energized, thus to cause the reciprocable diaphragm 31 to be moved from its position as in Fig. 5

toward the hollow base 36, and the resilient connection 46 will cause said reciprocable armature to be situated as in said Fig. 5 each time the solenoid circuit is broken, thus to cause said reciprocable diaphragm 31 to be moved away from said hollow base 35. Evidently, the rate of reciprocatory movement of the armature 44 and the cycles per second of the alternating current employed will correspond. It has been ascertained, by experiment and experience, that a pump such as I4 can be satisfactorily and efiiciently operated by employment of as small an amount of electrical energy as a single watt.

What is claimed is:

An apparatus of the character described, comprising a frame, a reciprocatory diaphragm upon said frame, a first nozzle, means for forcing a sensitive fluid jet constantly to flow through and from said first nozzle and to impinge against said reciprocatory diaphragm, a second nozzle for delivering a group of spaced sound pulses each the manifestation of uninterrupted sound waves to and against said sensitive fluid jet to repeatedly interrupt its impingement against said reciprocatory diaphragm and thus translate the sensitive fluid jet into spaced mechanical pulses operable upon the diaphragm to accomplish its reciprocation, and a vibratory member upon said frame adjacent the reciprocatory diaphragm and tuned to said spaced mechanical pulses to be sympathetically vibrated in response to reciprocation of said diaphragm.

RAY E. HALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,541,450 Walker June 9, 1925 1,618,982 Hahnemann et al. Mar. 1, 1927 1,689,121 Ferdon Oct. 23, 1928 1,737,346 Wilckens NOV. 26, 1929 1,929,569 Stone Oct. 10, 1933 2,048,508 Mallna July 21, 1936 2,140,293 Kolb Dec. 13, 1938 2,152,955 Coyne Apr. 4, 1939 2,161,416 Heck June 6, 1939 2,458,043 Zenner Jan. 4, 1949 

